Leo Meyer Manor

“Always seek the glory of God and the good of your neighbor.” – Blessed Mary Angela Truszkowska

A Ministry of Presence in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania

Nestled on the campus of St. Mary, Help of Christians Church campus in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, sits an unassuming building with a long history of serving the community. Once St. Mary’s School, Leo Meyer Manor now serves as an affordable housing community, and counted among the neighbors are Felician Sisters Mary DeLourdes Macurak and Mary Denise Bernas, serving in a ministry of presence.

Leo Meyer Manor was named for the beloved former pastor of St. Mary Parish who oversaw the construction and opening of St. Mary’s School. He served as pastor from 1923 until his passing in 1950. When St. Mary’s School closed, the parish began looking for a new use for the property, and in 1991, renovations to the building began with the intent of transforming it into affordable housing.

In this community near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 25.6% of the population has an income below the poverty level (City-Data.com). Despite the great need, affordable housing is scarce, and the living conditions for many are deplorable.

“We have one resident who is blind,” said Sr. DeLourdes. “He came to us from a place that had no running water. He had to cross the bridge to buy water to drink, cook and wash.”

The Felician Sisters have been a presence at Leo Meyer Manor since its opening in 1992. Though the property is sponsored by Christian Housing Inc., the day-to-day management is the responsibility of Sr. DeLourdes, and Sr. Denise sits on the board.

Leo Meyer is HUD-subsidized and accessible and is reserved for people age 62 and over and those age 18 and over with a disability. It has 44 efficiency apartments, each equipped with a bedroom/sitting area; kitchenette with a stove and refrigerator; and a bathroom with a shower. With the welcoming of a new resident in February 2020, the manor is operating at full capacity for the first time since the facility’s opening. Leo Meyer Manor

Much of Sr. DeLourdes’ time is spent ensuring that the facility is in compliance with government regulations and managing the flow of residents, but the even more essential role that she and Sr. Denise play is their ministry of presence.

St. Francis of Assisi served people by walking with them, getting to know them and giving them the gift of his time and attention. A ministry of presence can seem deceptively simple, but it is in fact a challenge to put aside our own ambitions and our need to feel important in order to take the time to make others feel important and loved. It’s difficult to tune out distractions and set aside those things we deem urgent to sit and focus on the needs of another, whether those needs be physical, emotional or spiritual.

“People need to feel important,” said Sr. Denise, and according to Cliff, a Leo Meyer resident for the past 13 years, the Sisters are succeeding in creating an atmosphere that “feels like family.”